Hydraulically operated tamper



July 5, 1966 a. M. PFUNDT 3,259,035

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED TAMPER Filed March 9, 1964 if n /? INVENTOR.

' 60fi6 M. Prwvor BY wmk F/TTORNEY United States Patent 3,259,035 HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED TAMPER George M. Pfundt, 87 Bustleton Pike, Churchville, Pa. Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,311 3 (Elaims. (Cl. 94-49) This invention relates to devices for use in tamping soil and the like around a set electric line pole of any type or kind or in connection with fence posts and the like. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character defined, wherein the tamper foot or head is actuated through the medium of a hydraulic motor mounted in connection with the casing or housing of the tamper and, wherein, the casing or housing includes laterally extending handle members facilitating manual movement of the tamper into different positions.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a tamper made according to my invention showing the cover of the housing removed, with parts of the construction broken way and in section and diagrammatically illustrating the gear drive, the motor shown in FIG. 2 being omitted, except for for drive pinion of said motor; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device showing the cover of the housing mounted in position and with parts of the construction broken away, the motor drive being diagrammatically shown, in part, in position.

In illustrating one adaptation and use to my invention, I have shown at 5 a housing or casing having an enlarged upper end 6, in connection with which a hydraulically operated motor 7 is mounted, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2. One side of the housing 5 is open and closed by a cover plate 8, having screws, as at 9, engaging ribs 10 on side walls of the housing, as well as ears 11 at the upper side portions of the housing.

Mounted in connection with the lower contracted end 12 of the housing is an elongated tube 13, which projects a substantial distance from the end 12 of the housing and arranged in end portions of the tube 13 are suitable bearings 14 and 15 for guidance of a reciprocating member 16, which is indicated as a rod that can, for the most part, be tubular in form if desired. Suitably keyed to the lower end of the member 16, as seen at 17 FIG. 2, is a foot or tamper head 18, comprising a wide base 19, note FIG. 1, with an upwardly contracted tubular portion 20, the latter being preferably reinforced by ribs 21, as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The tubular portion 20 is enlarged, as seen at 22 in FIG. 2, to provide a bearing support for the key screw 17.

The upper end of the member 16 is recessed at one side, as seen at 23, and the protuding portion or reduced extension 24 at the opposite side forms a support for a screw 25, on which are arranged suitable bearings 26 and mounted on these bearings is the end portion 27 of a link or crank 28 retained against displacement from the bearings by washers 29 and 30, as clearly noted in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The other end portion of the link 28 has an enlarged hub 31, having bearing supports for a pin 32 suitably fixed in a large beveled gear 33, with the hub portion 31 arranged on the surface of this gear, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The housing 5 has an offset portion 34 terminating in an outwardly extending bearing portion 35, in which is fixed a stub shaft 36 having suitable bearings, as at 37, upon which the gear 33 is rotatably mounted.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the upper end 6 of the housing has a large opening 38 3,259,035 Patented July 5, 1966 for reception of a tubualr extension 39 of the hydraulic motor 7. The shaft of the motor which projects into the housing directly above and parallel to the member 16 is indicated, in part, at 40 .andon this shaft is mounted a bevelled drive pinion l1 which, for simplification in illustration, is outlined in dot-dash lines. For clear illustration, this pinion has also been illustrated in FIG. 1, although the hydraulic motor is omitted from this illustration. Also to simplify the illustration, the bevelled gear 33, for the most part, is outlined in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. However, part of the teeth of this gear is shown at 33' in FIG. 1.

The inner portion of the hub 31 is fashioned to support a lubricating fitting 42 for lubricating the pivotal support of the link on the pin 32 and a similar fitting 43 is provided on a cutaway portion 44 of the link, as noted in FIG. 1 of the drawing, for lubricating the other pivotal mounting of the .link on the screw 25 or the bearings 26 thereof.

At sides of the housing or casing are laterally extending handgrips 45, one only of these handgrips being illustrated in FIG. 1. These handgrips are in the form of round rods which extend from the upper portion 6 of the housing to a portion midway between the ends 6 and 12 of the housing, as seen at 46. These handgrips provide free manual movement of the tamper around a hole or post where the soil is to be tamped in secure setting of the pole or post. It will be understood that flexible connections will be provided to the motor 7 and, as such connections are well-known in the art, no showing thereof is deemed to be necessary.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, it will appear that the upper portion of the housing or casing is partially rounded, as seen at 47, and, considering FIG. 2, it will appear that the foot or tamper head 18 has a conical socket 48, against which the lower end of the member 16 bears to provide a direct transmission of the downward tamping thrust to the foot or head 18.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tamper of the character defined comprising a vertically elongated housing having -a large upper end and a reduced lower end, means for supporting a motor to extend above the upper end of the housing, said motor having a rotatable shaft, an elongated reciprocating member slidably mounted in the lower end portion of the :housing and projecting therefrom directly below and parallel to the shaft of the motor, a tamper head at the lower end of said member, an elongated bearing support for said member extending beyond the reduced lower end of said housing, said support comprising a tube fixed to the housing, said member having bearings spaced longitudinally thereof, a drive link pivotally coupled with the upper end portion of said member and operating entirely within the housing, a bevelled gear freely rotatable on a bearing support in and at one side portion of the housing, a bevelled pinion driven by said motor shaft and operatively engaging said bevelled gear, said bevelled gear having a pivot-a1 support projecting from a surface thereof, said link having a hub-type bearing mounting on said pivotal support, the other side of the housing being open throughout the full height and the major portion of its width, and a detachable cover closing said open side of the housing for easy access to the gear link assembly.

2. A tamper as defined in claim 1, wherein the hearing support for said bevelled gear includes a stub shaft perpendicular to the motor shaft and fixed to and extending into said housing, and said tamper head comprising a tubular body in which said member seats.

3. A tamper as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes integral laterally extending side handgrips,

said handgrips comprising rods, upper ends of said rods 2,845,050 7/1958 Wacker. extending from the upper portion of the housing, and 2,852,992 9/ 1958 Simmonds 94-49 lower ends of said rods terminating intermediate upper 3,073,219 1/1963 Miller 94-48 and lower ends of the housing. 3,090,286 5/ 196-3 Kesie'l 94-49 5 3,162,102 12/1964 Juneau 9449 Reielrences Cited by tlgejinagnner FOREIGN PATENTS U ITED STATES E TS 321,787 7/1957 Switzerland.

2,436,251 2/1948 Dobie.

2,753,771 7/1'956 Brown 9449 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TAMPER OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED COMPRISING A VERTICALLY ELONGATED HOUSING HAVING A LARGE UPPER END AND A REDUCED LOWER END, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A MOTOR TO EXTEND ABOVE THE UPPER END OF THE HOUSING, SAID MOTOR HAVING A ROTATABLE SHAFT, AN ELONGATED RECIPROCATING MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE HOUSING AND PROJECTING THEREFROM DIRECTLY BELOW AND PARALLEL TO THE SHAFT TO THE MOTOR, A TEMPER HEAD AT THE LOWER END OF SAID MEMBER, AN ELONGATED BEARING SUPPORT FOR SAID MEMBER EXTENDING BEYOND THE REDUCED LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING, SAID SUPPORT COMPRISING A TUBE FIXED TO THE HOUSING, SAID MEMBER HAVING BEARINGS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, A DRIVE LINK PIVOTALLY COUPLED WITH THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID MEMBER AND OPERATING ENTIRELY WITHIN THE HOUSING, A BEVELLED GEAR FREELY ROTATABLE ON A BEARING SUPPORT IN AND AT ONE SIDE PORTION OF THE HOUSING, A BEVELLED PINION DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR SHAFT AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID BEVELLED GEAR, SAID BEVELLED GEAR HAVING A PIVOTAL SUPPORT PROJECTING FROM A SURFACE THEREOF, SAID LINK HAVING A HUB-TYPE BEARING MOUNTING ON SAID PIVOTAL SUPPORT, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSING BEING OPEN 